Driving on Skye

We want you to enjoy your time on Skye and to be safe doing so. The Highway Code provides useful guidance and advice on how to drive safely on our roads. We have compiled some handy hints and tips below to help keep you safe on your travels.

Visit Scotland also has a useful guide to Driving in Scotland full of practical information and advice.

Single track roads

Many of the roads on Skye are single track. These roads are only wide enough for one vehicle. They have special passing places. If you see a vehicle coming towards you, or the driver behind wants to overtake, pull into a passing place on your left, or wait opposite a passing place on your right. Give way to vehicles coming uphill whenever you can. If necessary, reverse until you reach a passing place to let the other vehicle pass.

Sometimes you may have to reverse more than a metre or two. Driving onto verges to avoid reversing is not recommended! Cars may get damaged or stuck in roadside ditches.

On Skye, it’s usual to give a friendly wave as ‘thank you’ if another road user has reversed or waited for you to pass.

Be careful where you park

Do not park in passing places. Parking your car in passing places to watch birds, photograph the scenery, or to leave your vehicle while you go for a walk, prevents other road users from using passing places. If your car blocks a passing place and stops other drivers, cyclists or horse-riders from allowing vehicles to move by, dangerous situations can occur. If you must stop in a passing place for a short time, be prepared to drive on immediately.

Parking in or near entrances to farm tracks, in field gateways or at cattle grid gates can prevent access by farmers and others who live and work in the countryside.